Not a Happy Cardinal

You'd think he was forced to take a bath and is pouting about it. These young and rather oddly colored cardinals have been all over the backyard in various stages of red. Cropped only.

[bkb in the city]

Great capture

[Gayle Sears]

He does look a little disgruntled.

[*lynn]

Excellent details

[Denise (lyndemc)]

Funny how a wet bird looks so bedraggled. It's almost hard to believe this roughed-up brown bird will someday be a bright red Cardinal.

[Taffy]

Oh, the poor thing...it really looks under the weather, literally.

[Ann]

Poor baby.but a great shot and a fav.

[Lynne]

I'm glad you mentioned the "rather oddly colored". Great catch.

[Janet B.]

Wow! This Cardinal is molting so that it can grow healthy, new feathers in time for Winter. When the feathers grow back in a few weeks, it'll look as gorgeous as ever. Fabulous capture, Milanie!

[Gena Pegg]

Wonderful detail and colors. He does not look happy, for sure.

[Rick]

I'm seeing a lot of them here, that the colors are really off. But seems like some are gradually getting that pure color back. Super shot on this one.

[Rob Crosby]

You're on fire, Milanie!!! FAV, yet again!!

[Yeshanghai]

Another gorgeous shot. FAV

[aikimomm (phoebe)]

I wouldn't have guessed it for a cardinal at first. Beautiful lighting.

[Shirley V]

Wow Such detail!

[Anne Pancella]

The cardinals are not very pretty right now as they go through their moltings.

[Sandy]

Amazing close-up and detail. Not a very attractive looking bird though.

[ShazzyM]

Fantastic shot

[ShirleyB]

He does look rather bedraggled. Great shot to see the molting of the old feathers and growth on the new.

[Margaret Obey]

I love this

[Dione Giorgio]

Instant Fav. Stunning detail.

[Irene Marshall]

Super capture, great detail Fav.

[Leana Niemand]

A fav. This is a magnificent shot.

[tony gig]

Outstanding...

[Issi Bannerman]

Great capture of this bathing beauty!

[Margaret Brown]

Wonderful focus and details!

[KWind]

Super focus and detailed.

[Rosie Kind]

Oh poor little fellow. Fav for this lovely shot of him

[Elisabeth Sæter]

Super shot.

[Arthur Loosley]

Not a happy bird indeed, but a delightful picture. FAV

[Denise Wood]

Not happy - but a delightful capture :) Fav

[Alison Hewitt Bailey]

Beautiful light, great textures; poor, bedraggled looking cardinal but a sweet capture.

[Julie Ryan]

very colorful!

[Kerri Michaels]

sweet...fav